The Knight and The Pawn
by exit-persued-by-a-bear
Summary: "She's hideous, I'm not marrying her! I'd rather marry that frog-rider and her over grown lizard!" - "He's vile! If I want to marry someone who belittles me for my gender I'd marry Gunther Breech!" - "YOU! I'll never marry you! Never!" Both young knights exclaimed in unison as they stared each other down in front of the whole court. Arranged marriages are the best adventure of all.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon or anything in it's universe - They belong to their rightful owners. If there is anything that you don't recognise, hey I had a creative idea!

**Full Summary: It's been decided that Gunther needs a wife, and conveniently enough Jane is being pressurised to find a suitable husband. Magnus has managed to arrange a marriage between Gunther and Jane. Is it because Jane is the most eligible lady in the kingdom or is there a more sinister plot lurking behind the shadows, so beautifully orchestrated that it will result in Jane's downfall once and for all? Can the two young knights learn to love one another and be able to thwart Magnus' schemes or will they be just pawns for him to use so freely?**

**This is my first Jane and the Dragon fanfiction and I would really appreciate it if you read it then just before you press back you leave a little review. Even just a short one-liner would do. Just to reassure me that someone has read it and a day of writing and a few more nitpicking and fretting over it was not all in vain! Please? Cookies to anyone who reviews and my enteral love too! xxoo **

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_**Chapter One**_

It was a beautiful hot summer day in Kippernium. The sky was blue and the clouds were nothing but rough sketches lazily drifting. The birds chirped happily with each song and the wind blew gently rustling the trees. The inhabitants of the Castle seemed to enjoy the glorious weather, some more than others, as they got with their tasks.

Only two individuals, out of the whole kingdom, appeared to be internally cursing the hot weather as the heat made it harder for them to spar. In time to Smithy's mindless hammering against the metal shield he was working on was the intense percussion of one wooden sword hitting another with brute force. Smithy lifted his head to wipe the sweat off his forehead and allowed himself to watch the two young knights fight with their wooden swords. Though he would never admit it out loud he enjoyed watching the two knights spar as they normally do every day. He was used to the sound of wood hitting wood, the grunts and huffs for breaths and of course the name calling from the sparring individuals and it was even a source of amusement for him when he took his occasional breaks for a moment or two.

Smithy watched as Jane screamed her battle cry with both hands on her wooden sword and attacked Gunther with all her strength only to be blocked swiftly by Gunther's own sword. Gunther ducked low as Jane swung her sword once more and stepped to the side completely evading Jane's blow. They stared at each other for a minute, eyes narrowing, their swords gripped tight before they started to circle each other menacingly and this time it was Gunther who made the first attack. He aimed for Jane's side and Jane pretended to move left only to swiftly move to her right and before Smithy realised what was happening Jane moved behind Gunther slyly and using the blind spot she struck the boy and pushed him to the ground.

"Yield." Jane grinned victoriously as she pressed her wooden sword against the hallow of Gunther's throat and her foot rested on his chest. She stared him down and Gunther merely glared back at her. For a moment they simply stared at each other, brilliant green met steel grey, their chests heaving heavily with every breath they took.

"Never." Gunther suddenly declared, swiping Jane off her feet and making her land on her back. Gunther jumped up to his feet and this time pressed his sword against her throat. "Yield." He echoed with a smirk, his eyes flashing dangerously with mischief.

"Cheater!" Jane exclaimed using her sword to swat away the one that was pressed against her throat.

"In the battlefield no one plays the by rules, lady knight." Gunther drawled lazily as he stared down at Jane who was still on the ground with disdain and boredom.

"Rematch." Jane huffed in annoyance as she knew that despite all the rules, everyone would play every trick in the book to win.

"Sore loser." Gunther taunted.

"Am not!" Jane jumped to her feet and stood in her fighting stance. Gunther arched an eyebrow before he sighed and strangely enough began to unbutton his tunic.

"What are you doing?" Jane asked startled.

"It's too hot." Gunther said dismissively as he shrugged out of his tunic and sighed with relief as he was out of his hot and sweaty tunic and was only clad in his white loose undershirt with baggy sleeves that tightened around his wrists and had a low V neckline. "That's better." Gunther said to himself before he smirked at Jane who frowned at him though he can tell that she's trying her hardest not stare at his chest.

"Feel free to take your tunic off too, Jane, it's easier to move around especially in this heat," Gunther goaded and laughed in his mean tone as one corner of his lips tugged upwards in a mocking way "oh, that's right! You can't. You're a lady!"

"Beef brain!" Jane narrowed her eyes at him as she gripped her sword in both hands and began to circle Gunther whom in turn copied her movements. Jane briefly registered an echo of giggles in the corner of the courtyard and as she walked around she saw that there was a group of young maids giggling and blushing indiscreetly at Gunther in his under-shirt. They whispered amongst themselves but their eyes were firmly trained on Gunther who also noticed the attention and even had the audacity to wink at them cheekily which made Jane roll her eyes and aimed at Gunther once more.

"JAAA-AAAY-NEEE!" A shrill call that could only be the Lady-in-Waiting rung out as Jane's mother is the only capable of extending Jane's short name into a multi-syllabic one. The sparring knights halted mid-strike, the giggling maids stopped and ran quickly inside to whatever they were supposed to be doing and Smithy went back to his hammering.

"JANE! You are late. Your suitor would be here any time soon and you're still running around the courtyard with your sword! Come on!" Adeline stopped short in front of Jane and Gunther with her hands on her hips and a scolding glare. Jane sighed in defeat and even Gunther diverted his gaze down to his feet under the Lady-in-Waiting's glare.

"Captain Beaumont would be a perfect match for you, young too!" Adeline gushed and Gunther stiffened discreetly at the name of Jane's latest suitor, his eyes involuntarily hardened and he clenched his jaws tightly, but this goes unnoticed by Adeline and Jane.

There was a niggling feeling inside Gunther every time he thought about Jane's suitors, it swirled and bloomed inside him like a flower and grew into his skin but he pushed it down, trapping it in the depth of his dark soul and convinced himself that he feels absolutely nothing for his fellow knight. Nope, absolutely and utterly nothing. Just your normal innocent feeling you can't help but feel when you watch your friend being paraded by her mother in front of suitors ever since said friend reached the age of thirteen. Yes, that must be it, just a friendly dose of protectiveness and surely even her other male friends felt it as time and time again Adeline came up with a _'suitable'_ suitor and thankfully Jane had managed to refuse all offers. Though he couldn't figure out for the life of him who is more thankful that Jane has refused yet another request for her hand in marriage; Jane herself or Gunther himself? But there is this feeling of relief inside when Adeline looks disappointed when one of Jane's suitors storms off and Jane herself looks smug for chasing away yet another suitor and Gunther can relax once more with the knowledge that it'll take weeks for Adeline to find a suitor for Jane.

But saying that, Gunther knew that it won't be long until Jane will buckle under her mother's request to find herself a suitable husband and Gunther dreaded that day. Surely when Jane puts her mind to it, no men could resist her. She has grown into a beautiful lady, a few inches taller and slimmer. She had lost the child-like roundness to her face and developed fine bone structure. Her fiery red hair was still the same messy, unruly curls but it only brought out her large green eyes and made it brighter which captured many men's attention, including his own though he will never admit it. Jane and Gunther may have matured and got over their petty childhood rivalry for a few years now but he will never admit out loud that she was pretty. Besides, she'll probably hit him with her wooden sword if he so much utter such words.

"Mother, for the last time, I don't want to get married!" Jane tried to argue but she was quickly shut down by Adeline's stern glare.

"Nonsense, child. You are of age, you are seventeen and you are at your prime to get married. Even Pepper is married and has a child! It's time you settle down with a nice boy." Adeline continued, ignoring Jane's protests. Gunther hid a smile when he saw from the corner of his eye Jane rolling her large green ones in a silent retort, but unfortunately for Jane her mother caught this and snapped "Don't roll your eyes at me, Jane!"

"Knights don't get married!" Jane exclaimed and glanced at Gunther for agreement but her fellow Knight just merely shrugged. She should have known that the boy wouldn't say anything to help her despite being friends, though she says that in the loosest of terms. Gunther and her may have gotten over their rivalry and come to an unspoken truce but they still bicker and insult each other when they get the chance though their insults hold no malice and hurtful undertones - it's merely playful and occasionally motivating especially during the period that she was to be knighted three seasons ago. Gunther of course was knighted a year before her since he was training to be a knight longer than she was.

"Of course they do! Sir Gunther, are you or are you not currently searching for a wife?" Adeline waved Jane's statement away and focused her attention to Gunther. Jane's eyes widen slightly at the revelation and felt a pang of hurt when Gunther nodded his head. How come Gunther never said anything to her. Weren't they friends and friends were suppose to tell each other things? Jane internally scoffed, of course they were not really friends and Gunther never tells anyone about his personal life. He just clamps up and refuse to say anything in a silent glare. When it came to not saying anything, Gunther was certainly a vault. At this thought, Jane realised that she doesn't really know a lot about Gunther despite knowing him for most of her life.

"My _father_ is searching for a suitable wife for me, m'lady." Gunther said dryly and Jane noticed his hands curl into fists at the mention of his father.

"See! Gunther is to be married soon enough, and he's your age." Adeline gestured with her hand and looked at Jane pointedly.

"He's nineteen, mother, and that's... that's... different!" Jane huffed in annoyance.

Adeline arched an eyebrow and turned to look at Gunther once more "How is the search going, a handsome strapping young man like you must have a line of ladies offering their hands in marriage?"

Jane could feel a blush tint her cheeks when Adeline called Gunther handsome, but it's a good thing that her cheeks were already rosy from all the sword fighting or someone would notice that Jane in fact did think Gunther was handsome. But, she will never admit it. Never! Jane couldn't help but look at Gunther though she tried to do it as secretly as possible since she knew that Gunther noticed everything with his cold grey eyes. Gunther was no longer the miserable, pathetic,_ snivelling_ boy from her childhood but he has indeed grown into a handsome strapping young man. At the age of fifteen he underwent an unbelievable growth spurt and now stood over six foot, whilst Jane was stuck in five foot five, which meant that he was at least a head taller than her. He has also chiselled out, his shoulders broadened and his muscles became more defined. His raven hair which was as silky as they looked had gotten longer which he usually tied back with a black ribbon though at that moment in time his hair had come lose from the ribbon and framed his face giving him a more charming, more boyish look that he did not make up for in personality.

"It's going..._ well_, m'lady." Gunther said with an underlying tone of uncertainty. "I have yet to find the one that catches my eyes."

Adeline nodded her head and looked pleased at the idea of Gunther's search for a wife is going better than Jane's search for a suitable husband "Ah, well, better hurry Sir Knight or they will be all taken."

"I'll keep that in mind, my lady, Jane." Gunther replied coolly bowing elaborately at Adeline and Jane before he turned on his heels swinging his practise sword idly as he walked away. Jane and Adeline watched momentarily as Gunther walked towards his discarded tunic and leather armour and picked them up with his sword before he retreated into the stables where he greeted Sir Ivon who almost instantly went to order her fellow knight but not before questioning the sight of him only clad in his under-shirt.

"Yes, why was he in his under-shirt Jane, and I'm sure I heard him taunting you to take off your tunic too? I do hope you weren't planning to, young lady!" Adeline glared at Jane with a scolding finger.

"Of course not, mother!" Jane blushed.

"Good. Gunther may be your fellow knight but he is also a man and he most certainly must not see you in your under-shirt, under any circumstances!" Adeline continued and Jane scowled when she heard Smithy chortle with laughter but the blacksmith swiftly turned it into a cough when Jane sent him a glare.

"He took his tunic off because it's too warm to spar." Jane sighed in defeat once more.

"Come now, child. We must make you presentable for Captain Beaumont. When the time comes, he is most certainly allowed to see you in your under-shirt, Jane." Adeline grabbed Jane's wrist and dragged her away. Somehow and she didn't know why, but she entertained the idea of not wanting anyone see her in her under-shirt apart from Gunther. Though as soon as the thought entered her mind she shook her head and tried to dispel it from her mind. _Bad thought, bad bad bad! _She chanted to herself.

"Mother!" Jane exclaimed, a crimson flush burnt her cheeks especially when Smithy burst out laughing. She took a glance over her shoulder and Smithy only offered her an apologetic smile and mouthed "Good luck" before he returned to his hammering once more.

It's going to be a long day!

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**Review, please! Tell me what you all think :D Even one teeny weeny little word, I'll be happy ^_^ This is my first Jane and the Dragon fanfiction and I'll be really happy if even one of you review! It took me a while to write it and even longer to gather up my courage to upload it! cookies to anyone who reviews! Pleeassssseereeee?! pretty please with a cherry on top? Anyways, I'll update soon :)**


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon or anything in it's universe - They belong to their rightful owners. If there is anything that you don't recognise, hey I had a creative idea!**

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**Chapter Two**

Half way through supper, Jane had decided that Captain Beaumont, or _Henry_ as he insisted she should call him, was one of the worst suitors her mother had ever picked out for her and that's definitely saying something. Her mother had very bad choices when it came to men she thought would be a suitable husband for Jane and from all her suitors combined all these years, Captain Henry Beaumont was pretty high up the worst suitor's list.

Jane gritted her teeth when Captain Beaumont's overly obnoxious laugh echoed around the room and even more so when her mother giggled and even her father chuckled at what Henry was saying. Something about a foreign king, a barrel of wine and an exotic fruit but Jane has tuned out as soon as the Captain started to talk about his adventures and she decided to watch her suitor with a critic's eyes.

Henry Beaumont was a good looking man, and after watching him Jane decided he definitely knew it too. He was tall, slim and tanned from trading in more exotic lands than Kippernium. He also had dark long hair that was fastened back with a ribbon in the similar fashion like Gunther but strangely enough Jane found herself comparing the Captain with Gunther. She found herself thinking that Henry Beaumont's hair does not look as silky as Gunther's and whilst her fellow knight's tied back hair makes one's attention focus entirely on his large steel grey eyes, Henry Beaumont's tied back hair only made his features much pointed and sharper and Jane wouldn't be surprised if it could cut anyone that goes anywhere near him. Jane also decided that she didn't like his eyes, despite being bright blue and mischievous there was something she couldn't quite put her finger on. They sparkled but they were not warm and somehow there is a glint of something dark that make's one question his real intentions. And then there is his personality, he was arrogant and obnoxious. He constantly talked about himself and his adventures trading in foreign lands and it grated on Jane's nerves. She supposed that she should be used to such arrogant and obnoxious behaviour since her fellow knight had been like that for most of her life. But Jane decided she preferred Gunther's arrogance any day and any time than Captain Henry Beaumont. At least with Gunther it was due to him being an extremely proud person and his pride would not let him bring his expectations down, also the fact that the Merchant was his father. But Jane knew when it came down to it, Gunther would let his pride be hurt unlike Captain Beaumont who looks like he'd rather drown at sea than lower his pride, Jane was certain.

Jane just didn't like Captain Henry Beaumont and counted the seconds before he had to leave. She didn't care if her parents were taken by the Captain, she certainly was not and she doesn't care about the fact that he's the youngest of her Mother's choices when it came to her suitors. Jane decided that twenty five was far too old for her and cursed her Mother inwardly for not picking someone closer to her age, say twenty. Or even nineteen. In fact, nineteen would be the perfect age for a suitor.

"Rumour has it, Lady Jane, that you have tamed a Dragon. However did you manage to tame such beast?" Captain Beaumont drank deeply from his goblet and turned his attention to Jane as he put the goblet down rather heavily. Jane placed her fork down on her plate and looked at the Captain for a moment. She felt a sharp pain on her shin and a pointed look from her Mother.

"Dragon did not need taming, he was rather civilised when one did not attempt to slay him." Jane said dryly, ignoring the glare her Mother sent her and the Captain unable to answer just cleared his throat whilst tugging on the collar of his tunic.

"Your Dragon is rumoured to be the last of his kind." Captain Beaumont pressed after a moment of tense silence.

"Maybe, maybe not. Dragon and I are not sure. We are planning to search for other dragons sometime in the future." Jane said dismissively as she arched an eyebrow to see if the Captain will challenge her or not.

"Never in my years of trading have I heard of dragons other than yours, Lady Jane, and even then it wasn't until recently I really believed it. Of course I did come across the odd dragon egg or tooth but they were real. Do you know how much of a price an egg or a tooth will fetch, Lady Jane?" The Captain frowned for a moment before his eyes began to sparkle at the prospect of how much either items would really cost.

Jane resisted the sudden urge to sneer at the Captain so instead she made a clicking noise in between her cheeks "I can imagine it'll fetch a fair price, Captain."

"Just between you and I, Lady Jane," the Captain leant in "can I be so bold to ask you to tell me when your dragon loses a tooth. Of course we'll share the price and you have no idea how sought after such item is." Captain Beaumont laughed as if he just told the funniest of jokes but his eyes bore into her to let her know that he was deadly serious. Her father nodded and muttered that it will indeed fetch a large price and it will certainly do the kingdom a great deal if such money began to circulate.

"That is too bold, Captain!" Jane bristled at his rudeness, "and between you and I, I will certainly not tell you when Dragon loses a tooth! It is his tooth so he can do whatever he pleases with it and I do not feel comfortable making a profit from it. It was bad enough the last time when the Merchant got Gunther to steal it. Of course, Gunther did what was morally right in the end and gave it back but it's not right to make money out of such things!"

"I'm sorry to offend you, fair Lady." Captain Beaumont said, and Jane merely nodded her head sharply.

"Anyway," He said in a silky voice "how is Gunther? The last time I heard about him he was still a squire. Of course I've seen him around when I come to port but I've never spoken to him since."

Jane noticed the way the Captain tried not to sneer out Gunther's name but she ignored it "He had been knighted a year ago."

"Yes, ever since I can remember he's always wanted to be a knight. I was still a boy when I went to sea in one of the Merchant's trading vessels and he would often join his father in his voyages." The captain mused before going into an elaborate tale of how he joined his father at sea when he was the tender age of ten and how the Merchant made him the Captain of one his vessels ten years later. "I can imagine that he's a bit like his father, that Gunther."

"Gunther is nothing like his father! Gunther is kind and knows what is wrong and what is right. The Merchant is an obnoxious and greedy man and Gunther is ten times the man he will ever be. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am tired and I shall retire to my chambers. Goodnight Captain, Mother and Father." Jane growled before she stood up a little bit too quickly that she felt slightly dizzy but she pushed the feeling down and curtsied stiffly and stormed out the room without a second glance. She vaguely heard Captain Henry Beaumont inquire if he said something wrong but her parents said nothing, they only merely sighed.

Jane's mind reeled. How dare did the Captain suggest that Gunther was exactly like his father. He was nothing like the Merchant and it's clear that the Captain had been at sea far too long. She doesn't even know why exactly she got angry at the Captain when he suggested such a thing but only that something was triggered inside of her and she felt that she had the out most right to defend her fellow knight. Gunther cannot help who his father is but she knew that the young man had been trying his hardest to separate himself from his father's reputation and goes even as far as thwarting Magnus Breech's schemes the moment he gets wind of it. Of course many still believed that Gunther is exactly like Magnus and time and time again Jane find herself defending him. But, saying that she has found that people are starting to warm up to the fact that he's not like his father, especially when the young man had been knighted and is proving to everybody and more importantly to himself that he will never just like the Merchant.

So caught up with her musings, Jane didn't realised that she has already reached the kitchen and everybody turned their heads to watch her approach in an uncomfortable blue dress that her mother had forced her into, their conversations halting for a moment. She suddenly felt subconscious about her dress when she caught the glance Gunther flashed her, whether unwillingly or not, and noticed the way his eyes darken slightly before he shook his head and went back to his plate.

"Ah! There you are Jane! Right on time for pudding!" Pepper exclaimed, bouncing on her toes in the most endearing way, before she served out her famous pear petal pudding just as Jane sat down in a thump beside Jester in her usual seat opposite Gunther who is pretty much a permanent part of their group though he was still slightly distant towards them. The other's didn't seem to mind when Jane had coerced him to join them a few years ago and since then he had spent every lunch and supper time before he went back to the village for the day just after 9 at night.

"How was your supper with Captain Beaumont, Jane?" Jester inquired before he placed a spoonful of pudding in his mouth.

"Disastrous!" Jane exclaimed and felt everyone's eyes focus on her for further explanation but didn't press until Jane had her first spoonful of pudding. She sighed happily and smiled at Pepper with a silent appreciation. "He has to be one of the worst!"

"You don't like him? I heard he's quite a charmer." Pepper said, looking slightly disappointed to hear that it was yet another disastrous meeting with a suitor. She hoped that Jane would find a suitor soon that she liked or she feared that the Lady-in-waiting would do something drastic like send Jane into a monastery.

Gunther scoffed "He's quite the charmer, alright."

"What makes you say that? Do you know him?" Pepper looked at Gunther curiously, and noted the spark of dislike in his grey eyes when the Captain was mentioned.

"He's the Captain on one of Magnus' trading vessels, and his only charm is to trick ladies into giving him whatever he wants. Money, land, a scandalous affair and when he's finish with them he throws them away like common rubbish." Gunther placed his spoon down, before he looked at Jane pointedly. "He's got a notorious reputation so be careful of him, Jane."

The others looked at each one another for moment in a silent acknowledgement that was rare for Gunther to voice out what he thought about Jane's suitors and all of them noticed the way the young knight clenched his jaw in irritation and the possessive tone in his voice.

"He can't be that bad." Pepper pressed.

"He's also a pompous arse." Gunther declared, with a shrug of his shoulders.

"A bit like you then?" Jester retorted, but there was no malice in his tone. It took a long time for Jester to warm up to Gunther and deep down he knew that Jane will never return his feelings for her. It hurt to know, but he was slowly getting over it.

Gunther ignored Jester and kept his eyes on Jane "I'm serious, Jane. Be careful of that one."

"I don't like him anyway. Never once did he shut up about himself. He went on and on and on about things he saw, where he went, blah blah blah! The only time he managed to keep his mouth shut was when he was shovelling food down his throat. Then he laughed at me when he found out I was a knight! Told me girls can't be knights because they were too weak and soft!" Jane frowned, recalling the way the Captain laughed at her but she didn't notice Gunther sigh in relief when she said that she didn't like the Captain.

"The bog-weevil!" Pepper exclaimed and the others nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well, there is definitely no chance of him seeing you in your under-shirt then eh, Jane?" Jester smirked, and at that revelation Gunther began to choke on his pudding. He gasped and spluttered, bending over to the side of the bench whilst Rake started to thump the choking knight on the back. Smithy and Jester chuckled whist Rake and Pepper shared a confused look between themselves and Jane felt a rush of crimson in flamed her cheeks and she looked at the choking Gunther before she turned to Smithy sharply.

"Smithy! You told Jester?" Jane glared darkly at the chuckling blacksmith, but he merely offered an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Jane. He came just as you and your mother left and he asked what was that all about."

"Someone care to explain why would the Captain want to see you in your under-shirt Jane?" Pepper placed her hands on her hips and looked at Smithy, Jester and Jane sternly. But not before flashing a worried looked towards Gunther who gulped down his drink in an attempt to cease the coughing.

"It's all bit of a misunderstanding," Jane sighed "Mother asked why did Gunther took his tunic off whilst we were sparring and told me under any circumstances I should never let anyone see me in my under shirt."

"I told you it was too hot to spar in my tunic!" Gunther said defensively at Jane's dark and accusing glare, his voice hoarse from all the choking.

"Yes but she heard you taunting me to take mine off! Then Mother went on to say that when the time comes Captain Beaumont is most certainly allowed to see me without my tunic or dress for that matter!"Jane exclaimed defiantly but it only caused everyone, apart from Gunther, to laugh "It's not funny!"

"It most certainly is!" Jester declared wiping at his eyes childishly.

"Well, he'll see nothing! He's so obnoxious I'm not surprise if he annoys himself! Why does Mother picks the worst of men? Why can't she pick a nice fellow for once." Jane took a deep breath in, held it for a moment and let it hiss out slowly.

"You'll find the perfect one someday." Pepper said softly and everyone nodded.

"I best be off." Gunther cleared his throat as he stood up to his full height "I'll see you in the morning, Jane. Goodnight everyone."

"I better go too. Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning." Jane too stood up, bid everyone goodnight and followed the retreating figure of Gunther until she had to turn and go up to her tower. Everyone watched as they two knights walked together in silence before they nodded at each other as they parted ways.

"You know, those two will be perfect for each other." Pepper declared when Jane and Gunther disappeared from sight.

"How so?" Rake inquired, looking at her curiously like the others.

"Despite their differences, they compliment each other. Haven't you all noticed the way the boy gets protective, and dare I say possessive, at the slight mention of Jane's suitors? Same goes with Jane, if anyone says anything bad about Gunther she defends him. Jane is looking for someone who will take her seriously when it comes to her knighthood and who can understand that side of her more than Gunther himself. The two of them had been training together since the beginning and they both understand the other's commitment to the realm." Pepper sighed insightfully and the others couldn't help but agree with everything the cook had said.

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**First thing first, I've got to thank you for reading my story, especially to those who reviewed; WateryCordial, Amelle Kyre, anon, guest, and Sunrise19.  
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**Another short chapter, I know, but it'll get longer I promise :) In the next chapter, we'll see Magnus' choices for Gunther, and the idea that sparked off Magnus' arrangement to get the two young knights in matrimony. **

**Lastly, and most importantly, Review please! **


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